Roderick Lynn Brokofsky

Born and raised in Ainsworth, NE, he was the son of Melvin and Pearl Brokofsky. Throughout his childhood, Rick and his brother Larry spent many summers working on their uncles’ ranches and spent time with his family in the beautiful sandhills of rural Nebraska. In high school, Rick played the guitar in a local band, “The Plainsmen”, where they traveled from town to town playing for high school dances and other events. After attending Kearney State College, Rick relocated to Omaha, where he began working for AT&T as a phone man. In his later years, Rick worked for Creighton University as a Director of Telecommunications, a job that he dearly loved and where many friendships began. Rick was a jack of all trades and accomplished many things throughout his life, including an Associate, Bachelor’s and Master’s Degree. However, what he prided himself most on was being a devoted husband, father, grandfather and great grandfather.

Rick married Ellen in 1977, in which they would spend the next 45 years together raising two children and spoiling five grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. There were many things in life Rick was passionate about, for example, fishing in the small creeks and rivers around his childhood home, hunting a variety of wildlife alongside his brother, playing the guitar, including teaching his son and grandson how to play the guitar themselves, Husker football – even when they lost, and binge watching action movies – although he had already seen them a hundred times. But Rick was most passionate about the beauty he found in life, whether that be watching the squirrels eat corn on the back patio or helping his great-grandson find the colorful birds in the backyard. He will most be remembered for his sense of humor, corny jokes, the Santa hat he wore every Christmas that complimented his all-white beard, the elaborate stories he told over and over again, which seemed almost too good to believe, and in spite of his aggressive driving abilities and refusal to wear a seatbelt, he taught all of his family members to drive.

He is survived by his wife Ellen Brokofsky, son Patrick (Danette) Davey, daughter Maryellen Stanton, grandchildren Sara (Steven Baio) Stanton, Megan Davey, Olivia Schnepel, and Peyton Schnepel, great-grandchildren Liam Batter and Wesley Baio, sister-in-law’s Linda Brokofsky and Debi Fabian, brother-in-law’s Mike and Dr. Miles Fabian, niece and nephews.

He is preceded in death by his parents Melvin and Pearl Brokofsky, brother Larry Brokofsky, nephew David Brokofsky, grandson William Stanton, and mother and father-in-law, Mary and Email Fabian.

Join us for a celebration of life on Friday, September 17th, 2021 at Halleck Park Pavilion, Halleck Park Road in Papillion, NE (East side of the park next to the pond). The service will begin at 3 pm with a reception to follow.

In lieu of flowers, the family wishes memorial donations be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital or given to the family for a designation of their choice.

A special thank you to Nurse Practitioner Brandi Anderson and Occupational Therapist Marci Biven, for the impeccable care they provided Rick and compassion they have shown our family during this hard time.